Table 1 Examples of the role and the effect of deficiency of specific micronutrients on genomic stability [9–24]
Micronutrient/s | Role in genomic stability | Consequence of deficiency |
|---|---|---|
Vitamin C, Vitamin E, antioxidant polyphenols (e.g. caffeic acid) | Prevention of oxidation to DNA and lipid oxidation. | Increased base-line level of DNA strand breaks, chromosome breaks and oxidative DNA lesions and lipid peroxide adducts on DNA. |
Folate and Vitamins B2, B6 and B12 | Maintenance methylation of DNA; synthesis of dTMP from dUMP and efficient recycling of folate. | Uracil misincorporation in DNA, increased chromosome breaks and DNA hypomethylation. |
Niacin | Required as substrate for poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) which is involved in cleavage and rejoining of DNA and telomere length maintenance. | Increased level of unrepaired nicks in DNA, increased chromosome breaks and rearrangements, and sensitivity to mutagens. |
Zinc | Required as a co-factor for Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase, endonuclease IV, function of p53, Fapy glycosylase and in Zn finger proteins such as PARP. | Increased DNA oxidation, DNA breaks and elevated chromosome damage rate. |
Iron | Required as component of ribonucleotide reductase and mitochondrial cytochromes. | Reduced DNA repair capacity and increased propensity for oxidative damage to mitochondrial DNA. |
Magnesium | Required as co-factor for a variety of DNA polymerases, in nucleotide excision repair, base excision repair and mismatch repair. Essential for microtubule polymerization and chromosome segregation. | Reduced fidelity of DNA replication. Reduced DNA repair capacity. Chromosome segregation errors. |
Manganese | Required as a component of mitochondrial Mn superoxide dismutase. | Increase susceptibility to superoxide damage to mitochondrial DNA and reduced resistance to radiation-induced damage to nuclear DNA. |
Calcium | Required as cofactor for regulation of the mitotic process and chromosome segregation. | Mitotic dysfunction and chromosome segregation errors. |
Selenium | Selenoproteins involved in methionine metabolism and antioxidant metabolism (e.g. selenomethionine, glutathione peroxidase I). | Increase in DNA strand breaks, DNA oxidation and telomere shortening. |